KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu will ban the sale of all types of turtle eggs in the state by amending the Terengganu Turtle Enactment 1951 (Amended 1987).
Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Agro-based Industry and Rural Development Dr Azman Ibrahim said authorities including the Fisheries Department had already held numerous workshops on the enactment amendment to ban the sale of all types of turtle eggs.
He said based on the 1951 Turtle enactment, which was amended in 1987, only Leatherback turtle eggs were banned from being sold.
"The move to amend the enactment is to prevent the sale of all types of turtle eggs, including via online as well as in main markets, " he said after handing over contributions to residents in Jabi, near here.
Dr Azman who is also the state assemblyman for Jabi said this in response to a question on how the state would crack down on the sale of turtle eggs in markets and through the online platform due to diminishing turtle landings.
He said previously the ban was only for Leatherback turtles as the number of landings of the reptiles in the state dropped.
"Before the restriction through the enactment amendment in 1987, for three years from 1983, there were no Leatherback landings in the state.
"We also do not deny that the landings of other turtle species such as Green turtle, Hawksbill sea turtle and Olive Ridley Turtle numbers have also dropped," he said.